Father and son on separate charges after break-in at sports store

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday placed a man accused of threatening the owner of the Universal Sports Store in Alberttown on self-bail while she granted $50,000 bail to the man’s son who is accused of robbing the store of items valued over $800,000.

James Primo of Lodge pleaded not guilty to the charge of threatening language while his son James Gittens, 20, of Alberttown pleaded not guilty to the charge of break and enter and larceny when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Primo denied that on May 6, at the Universal Sports Store, he used threatening language to Eon Boodhan.

Gittens denied that between April 7 and 8, he broke and entered the Universal Sports Store and stole a quantity of sports supplies with a total value of $805,000, the property of Boodhan. Primo stated that both incidents were as a result of a misunderstanding between him, his sons and Boodhan.

He said that his younger son, who is an international hockey player, had bought a hockey jersey in Trinidad for Gittens. He said that shortly after Gittens got the jersey he wore it but on that same day Boodhan saw him with it and accused him of stealing the jersey from his store during a recent break-in.

He said that the police were called in and both his sons were arrested and taken to the police station but only Gittens was charged. Primo said he only expressed his displeasure of the matter to Boodhan and never threatened him.

Prosecutor Stephen Telford made no objections to Primo or Gittens’ bail applications when they suggested it but asked that they be granted in substantial amounts.

The men are expected to make another court appearance on May 18.